Crawl toy

ABSTRACT

A toy ( 10 ) convertible between a crawl mode and a remote-control mode. The toy ( 10 ) comprises a mobile body ( 12 ) and controller ( 14 ). Inputs ( 36, 38, 40 ) are housed in the controller ( 14 ) and are attached to the mobile body ( 12 ) while the toy ( 10 ) is in the crawl mode. These inputs provide a response (e.g., movement, audio stimulation) upon activation (e.g., manual touching) while the toy ( 10 ) is in the crawl mode. The controller ( 14 ) controls the mobile body ( 12 ) from a remote location while the toy ( 10 ) is in the remote-control mode.

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/411,620 filed on Sep. 18, 2002. Theentire disclosure of this earlier application is hereby incorporated byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally as indicated to a crawl toy and,more particularly, to a toy which provides a crawl incentive when achild is learning to crawl.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Crawling is an important milestone in a child's development.Crawling helps a baby to strengthen “walking” muscles for later use andis a baby's first experience with getting around efficiently on his/herown. As such, parents and care givers typically provide “crawling”incentives to a toddler to encourage experimentation with bodilysensations and motor movements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention provides a toy which can be used as acrawling incentive for a child and then can be converted to a remotecontrol toy upon completion of the child's crawling phase. In thismanner, the toy “grows with” the child and remains interesting oncewalking replaces crawling in the child's ongoing development.

[0005] More particularly, the present invention provides a toy which isconvertible between a crawl mode and a remote-control mode. The toycomprises a mobile body, an input, and a controller. The input isattached to the mobile body while the toy is in the crawl mode andprovides a response (e.g., movement, audio stimulation) upon activation(e.g., manual touching) when the toy is in said crawl mode. Thecontroller controls the mobile body from a remote location while the toyis in the remote-control mode. The toy preferably comprises a pluralityof inputs which provide the same response while the toy is in the crawlmode and/or which provide a different response when the toy is in theremote-control mode.

[0006] The input can be conveniently housed in the controller and thecontroller can be attached to the mobile body while the toy is in thecrawl mode. For example, the mobile body and the controller can includemating members which, when mated, place the toy in the crawl mode and,when un-mated, place the toy in the remote-control mode. The mobile bodycan comprise a base, rollers rotatably attached to the bottom of thebase, and an antenna attached to the top of the base. The controller cancomprise a ring-shaped member with a central opening through which theantenna can be inserted. The input(s) can comprise button(s) positionedon the radially outer surface of the ring-shaped member.

[0007] When a child is learning to crawl, the toy is placed in the crawlmode so that the child can crawl towards the mobile body and activatethe input. When the child has advanced to walking and no longer needscrawling incentives, the toy is placed in the remote-control mode sothat he/she can use the controller to control the mobile body from aremote location. As such, the toy of the present invention can convertfrom a crawling incentive to the child's first remote control device.

[0008] The present invention also provides a toy which providesdifferent outputs in response to different positional relationships ofthe child. In this manner, the child is rewarded when approaching thetoy, and is rewarded again upon further nearing the toy. This canprovide a powerful crawl incentive when a child is learning to crawl.However, the toy need not be a crawl-incentive toy, as the presentinvention contemplates many types of toys that respond to a child'sdifferent positional relationships with different outputs.

[0009] More particularly, the present invention provides a body, aproximity sensor, and response-providing components. The proximitysensor senses when a child is in a first zone Z1 relative to the bodyand when a child is in a second zone Z2 relative to the body. Theresponse-providing components provide a first response output inresponse to the child entering the first zone Z1 and a second differentresponse output in response to the child entering the second zone Z2.

[0010] When a child is playing with the toy, and he/she is outside thefirst zone Z1, no response output is provided. When the child moves(e.g., crawls) into the first zone Z1, a first response output isprovided. When the child moves (e.g., crawls, reaches) closer to the toy50 into the second zone Z2, a second response output is provided. Theresponse outputs can be audio (e.g., music, voice messages), movement(e.g., spins, forward/backward motion), visual (e.g., flashing/coloredlights), and/or combinations thereof.

[0011] The range of the zones Z1 and Z2 can be selected to be compatiblewith a child's developmental requirements. For example, the first zoneZ1 could be greater than a certain distance (e.g., two inches, threeinches, four inches, five inches, six inches, one foot, etc.) and lessthan a certain distance (e.g., one inch, two inches, three inches, fourinches, six inches, etc.) away from the toy. The second zone Z2 ispositioned between the first zone Z1 and the toy.

[0012] These and other features of the invention are fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims. The following description andannexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments ofthe invention, these embodiments being indicative of but a few of thevarious ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy according to the presentinvention, the toy being shown in the crawl mode.

[0014]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toy in the remote-controlmode.

[0015]FIG. 3 is a close-up, partially sectional, view of a portion ofthe toy while in the crawl mode.

[0016]FIGS. 4A-4C are schematic illustrations of a child playing withthe toy while it is in the crawl mode.

[0017]FIGS. 5A-5C are schematic illustrations of a child playing withthe toy while it is in the remote-control mode.

[0018]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another crawl toy 50 according tothe present invention, the toy 50 providing different outputs inresponse to different positional relationships.

[0019]FIG. 7A-7C are schematic illustrations of a child playing with thetoy by moving into different positional relationships to obtaindifferent outputs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Referring now to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, atoy 10 according to the present invention is shown. The toy 10 comprisesa mobile body 12 and a controller 14. When the toy 10 is in a crawl mode(FIG. 1), the controller 14 is attached, coupled, or otherwise connectedto the mobile body 12 so that it may move therewith. When the toy 10 isin a remote control mode (FIG. 2), the controller 14 is separated frommobile body 12 so that it may be used to remotely control movement ofthe body 12. In this manner, the toy 10 is convertible between a crawlmode appropriate for a child at a crawling age and a remote control modeappropriate for the child at an older age. The toy 10 can thereby “growwith” the child.

[0021] Referring additionally to FIG. 3, the mobile body 12 and thecontroller 14 preferably include mating members 16 and 18, respectively.In the illustrated embodiment, the mating member 16 is a recess in themobile body 12 and the mating member 18 is a tab on the controller 14which fits into the recess. When the members 16 and 18 are mated, aninternal switch places the toy's electrical circuitry in the crawl modeand, when the members 16 and 18 are displaced, switches the toy'selectrical circuitry into the remote-control mode. It may be noted thatother types of mating devices can be used to determine the positionalrelationship between the mobile body 12 and the controller 14. Moreover,non-mating devices, such as proximity sensors, can be used to determinethis positional relationship, whereby the controller 14 need not be“locked” onto the mobile body 12. Additionally or alternatively, theconversion of the toy 10 from the crawl mode to the remote-control modecan be accomplished by other types of switch and non-switch devices.

[0022] The mobile body 12 includes an infrared device 20 which functionsas a transmitter, and the controller 14 includes an infrared device 22which functions as a receiver. These devices allow wirelesscommunication between the controller 14 and the mobile body 12 so thatan input on the controller 14 is conveyed to the mobile body 12.Accordingly, the infrared device 20 is mounted in a suitable manner forreceiving infrared signals from the controller's transmitting infrareddevice 22.

[0023] In the illustrated embodiment, the mobile body 12 comprises abase 24, rollers 26 rotatably attached to the bottom of the base 24, andan antenna 28 attached to the top of the base 24. The body parts 24, 26,and/or 28 can be injection molded, or otherwise formed, and thenassembled in a conventional manner. That being said, the mobile body 12can be of any construction which provides a motive means (i.e., rollers,tracks, crawlers, skis) by which it can move across a surface.

[0024] The illustrated base 24 houses the toy's electrical circuitry,mechanical guts (e.g., wheel-driving motors and belts), and power source(e.g., battery). The mating recess 16 is positioned at the top of thebase 24 adjacent the antenna 28. The mode-conversion switch and theinfrared receiver 20 are electrically coupled to the electricalcircuitry, and the electrical circuitry controls the mechanicalcomponents. The base 24 can be spherical in shape and/or include indicia(e.g., a smiling face) attractive to a child.

[0025] The rollers 26 allow the mobile body 22 to easily move across asurface (e.g., the floor) and can comprise three spherical wheels 30rotatably mounted within wheel covers. The front two wheels can bedriven via motors and belts (not shown) and the back wheel can befree-floating to accomplish the desired movement of the body 22. Forexample, for forward movement, both of the front wheels would be rotatedforward and, for spinning movement, one front wheel could stop while theother front wheel spins. However, as was indicated above, the rollers 26can be replaced with other suitable motive means for moving the bodyacross a surface.

[0026] The antenna 28 is preferably flexible and can comprise a curvedstem 32 extending upwardly from the base 24 and a spherical knob 34 atthe end thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the infrared device 22(e.g., the receiver) is mounted in the antenna's knob 34 in a suitablemanner for receiving signals from the controller's infrared device 20(e.g., the transmitter). In this manner, signals can be conveyed fromthe controller 14 to the electrical circuitry within the body 24 tocontrol the toy's mechanical components.

[0027] The illustrated controller 14 has a ring-like (e.g., toroidal)shape with a central opening through which the antenna 28 can beinserted. The mating tab 18 extends from the bottom surface of thecontroller 14 so that it may be inserted into the recess 16 when thecontroller 14 is connected to the mobile body 12. It may be noted thateven when the toy 10 is in the remote-control mode, the controller 14may be placed on the antenna 28 without mating the members 16 and 18 forconvenient storage. Alternatively, as indicated above, the toy 10 can bedesigned so that mere placement of the controller 14 in the vicinity ofthe mobile body 12 is sufficient for conversion into the crawl mode.

[0028] Input buttons 36, 38, and 40 are positioned on the radially outersurface of the controller 14, along with the infrared sensor 22. In theillustrated embodiment, the inputs are activated by manual depression,but otherwise activated inputs could be used instead of, or in additionto, the buttons. Also, although three inputs are shown in theillustrated embodiment, toys having fewer (i.e., one or two) or moreinputs are possible with, and contemplated by, the present invention. Inany event, the input(s) 36, 38, and 40 are attached to the mobile body12 while the toy 10 is in the crawl mode.

[0029] Referring now to FIGS. 4A-4C, a child is shown playing with thetoy 10 while it is in the crawl mode (i.e., the controller 14 isattached to the mobile body 12 and the mating members 16 and 18 aremated). In this mode, the child crawls towards the toy 10 and pushes oneof the plurality of buttons 36, 38, and 40. In response, the toy 10provides the child with some type of stimulation to reward the crawlingeffort. For example, the toy 10 can emit audible sounds (e.g., giggling,music, etc.), produce visual images (e.g., flashing lights, sparks,etc.), and/or can initiate movement (e.g., move forward, spin, etc.).While audible and visual outputs can be pleasing to a child, it may benoted that forward movement will encourage the child to crawl further.The toy 10 can be programmed so that regardless of which button thechild pushes, the same response is provided by the toy 10.Alternatively, the toy 10 can be programmed so that different buttonsprovide different responses. In the preferred embodiment, the mobilebody 12 emits a giggling sound, moves forward while playing music, andthen giggles again, regardless of which button the child pushes.

[0030] Referring now to FIGS. 5A-5C, an older child is shown playingwith the toy 10 while it is in the remote-control mode (i.e., thecontroller 14 is separated from the mobile body 12). In this mode, thechild uses the controller 14 to remotely control the mobile body 12 bypushing one of the plurality of buttons 36, 38 and 40. Again, the toy 10can be programmed so that regardless of which button the child pushes,the same response is provided by the toy 10. Alternatively, the toy 10can be programmed so that different buttons provide different responses.For example, activation of the button 36 can cause the mobile body 12 tospin (FIG. 5A), activation of the button 38 can cause the mobile body 12to move forward (FIG. 5B), and activation of the button 40 can cause themobile body 12 to emit an audible sound (e.g., giggling or music) (FIG.5C).

[0031] It may be noted that in the illustrated embodiment of theinvention, the inputs 36, 38 and 40 are housed in the controller 14, andattachment of the controller 14 to the mobile body 12 places the toy 10in the crawl mode. This design has certain advantages and conveniences,in that the same set of inputs can be used for both the crawl mode andthe remote-control mode. That being said, a separate set of inputs forthe crawl mode and/or another mode-converting technique (e.g., a switchon the mobile body) could be used instead.

[0032] Referring now to FIG. 6, a toy 50 according to another embodimentof the invention is shown. The toy 50 is adapted to provide one responsewhen a child moves into a first zone Z1 and another response when achild moves into a second zone Z2. In this manner, the child is rewardedwhen approaching the toy 50 and rewarded again upon further nearing thetoy 50.

[0033] The toy 50 comprises a body 52 which, in the illustratedembodiment, comprises a base 54, rollers 56 rotatably attached to thebottom of the base 54, and an antenna 58 attached to the top of the base54. The body parts 54, 56, and/or 58 can be injection molded, orotherwise formed, and then assembled in a conventional manner. However,unlike the toy 10 described above, the body 52 need not be mobile bodyand need not include motive means (i.e., rollers, tracks, crawlers,skis) by which it can move across a surface. That being said, a childmight enjoy manually pushing the toy 50 across the floor and/or incertain circumstances a motive means may provide the desired output forthe toy in one or more zones.

[0034] The illustrated base 54 houses the toy's electrical circuitry,response-producing equipment, and a power source (e.g., battery). Therollers 56 and can comprise three spherical wheels 60 rotatably mountedwithin wheel covers. The antenna 58 is preferably flexible and cancomprise a curved stem 62 extending upwardly from the base 54 and aspherical knob 64 at the end thereof. The electrical circuitrypreferably includes an on-off switch for the toy 50. Theresponse-producing equipment can comprise a proximity sensor 66electrically coupled to the circuitry housed within the antenna 58.

[0035] The sensor 66 can comprise, for example, two conductive (e.g.,metal) plates insulated from each other and positioned inside the base54 and/or the antenna 58. The plates are connected to toy's electricalcircuitry, which supplies appropriate frequency signals thereto. A childin the first zone Z1 creates a capacitance to ground, and the electricalcircuitry measures this capacitance and provides a response output. Asthe child moves towards the toy 50 into the second zone Z2, thecapacitance is further increased, and the electrical circuitry measuresincreased capacitance and provides a different response output.

[0036] Referring now to FIGS. 7A-7C, a child is shown playing with thetoy 50. When the child is outside the first zone Z1, no response outputis provided. (FIG. 7A.) When the child moves into the first zone Z1, afirst response output is provided. (FIG. 7B.) When the child movescloser to the toy 50 into the second zone Z2, a second response outputis provided. (FIG. 7C.) In the illustrated embodiment, the responseoutputs are each audio and, more particularly, music. For example, onesong could play in the first zone Z1 and another song could plan in thesecond zone Z2. Instead of songs, a first voice message could sound inthe first zone Z1 (e.g., “you are getting closer”) and a second voicemessage could sound in the second zone Z2 (e.g., “you are almostthere”). Also, a song could play in one zone and a voice message soundin the other zone.

[0037] Additionally or alternatively, the toy 50 could move in onemanner (e.g., turn and twirl) in response to the child entering one zoneand could move in another manner (e.g., forward or backward) in responseto the child entering the other zone. The toy 50 could provide onevisual output (e.g., flashing yellow light) in response to first zoneentry and another visual output (e.g., green light) in response tosecond zone entry. The toy 50 could provide a visual output in responseto the child entering one zone and an audio output in response to thechild entering the other zone; a visual output in response to the childentering one zone and a movement output in response to the childentering the other zone; an audio output in response to the childentering one zone and a movement output in response to the childentering the other zone. Audio, movement, and/or visual outputs can becombined to create the response output.

[0038] In any event, the toy 50 has the appropriate equipment to providethe desired audio response(s) (e.g., players, speakers), the desiredmovement response(s) (e.g., motor, pulleys), and/or the desired visualresponse(s) (e.g., lights, flashers).

[0039] The range of the zones Z1 and Z2 can be selected to be compatiblewith a child's developmental requirements. For example, the first zoneZ1 could be greater than a certain distance (e.g., two inches, threeinches, four inches, five inches, six inches, one foot, etc.) and lessthan a certain distance (e.g., one inch, two inches, three inches, fourinches, six inches, etc.) away from the toy 50. The second zone Z2 ispositioned between the first zone Z1 and the toy 50. It may be notedthat more zones (i.e., third zones, fourth zones, fifth zones etc.) arecontemplated by and possible with the present invention.

[0040] In the illustrated embodiment, the toy 50 provides a crawlincentive when a child is learning to crawl by responding to twodifferent positional relationships with two different outputs. However,more than two trigger zones and a corresponding number of outputs ispossible with and contemplated by the present invention. Moreover, thetoy 50 need not be a crawl-incentive toy as the present inventioncontemplates any type of toy that responds to a child's differentpositional relationships with different outputs.

[0041] Although the invention has been shown and described with respectto certain preferred embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent andobvious alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled inthe art upon the reading and understanding of this specification. Thepresent invention includes all such alterations and modifications and islimited only by the scope of the following claims.

1. A toy convertible between a crawl mode and a remote-control mode,said toy comprising: a mobile body; an input which is attached to themobile body while the toy is in the crawl mode and which provides aresponse upon activation while the toy is in the crawl mode; and acontroller which controls the mobile body from a remote location whilethe toy is in the remote-control mode.
 2. A toy as set forth in claim 1,wherein the input is provided on the controller, and wherein thecontroller is attached to the mobile body while the toy is in the crawlmode.
 3. A toy as set forth in claim 2, wherein the response comprisesmovement of the mobile body.
 4. A toy as set forth in claim 2, whereinthe response comprises generation of an audible output.
 5. A toy as setforth in claim 1, wherein the activation comprises manual touching ofthe input.
 6. A toy as set forth in claim 1, comprising a plurality ofinputs.
 7. A toy as set forth in claim 6, wherein at least two of theplurality of inputs provides a different response while the toy is inthe remote-control mode.
 8. A toy as set forth in claim 6, wherein eachof the plurality of inputs provides the same response while the toy isin the crawl mode.
 9. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the toy isconverted to the crawl mode when the mobile body and the controller arein a certain positional relationship, and wherein the toy is convertedto the remote-control mode when the mobile body and the controller aredisplaced from this positional relationship.
 10. A toy as set forth inclaim 9, wherein the mobile body and the controller include matingmembers which, when mated, place the toy in the crawl mode and, whenun-mated, place the toy in the remote-control mode.
 11. A toy as setforth in claim 10, wherein mating members comprise a recess and a tabfor receipt into the recess.
 12. A toy as set forth in claim 1, whereinthe mobile body comprises a base, an antenna attached to the top of thebase, and movement-providing members attached to the bottom of the base.13. A toy as set forth in claim 12, wherein the movement-providingmembers comprise rollers rotatably attached to the bottom of the base.14. A toy as set forth in claim 12, wherein the controller comprises aring-shaped member with a central opening through which the antenna canbe inserted.
 15. A toy as set forth in claim 14, wherein the input(s)comprise a plurality of buttons positioned on the radially outer surfaceof the ring-shaped member.
 16. A method of playing with the toy setforth in claim 1, said method comprising the steps of: placing the toyin the crawl mode, crawling towards the mobile body, and activating theinput; and placing the toy in the remote-control mode and using thecontroller to control the mobile body from a remote location.
 17. A toyproviding different outputs in response to different positionalrelationships of a child, said toy comprising: a body; a proximitysensor which senses when a child is in a first zone Z1 relative to thebody and when a child is in a second zone Z2 relative to the body;response-providing components which provide a first response output inresponse to the child entering the first zone Z1 and a second differentresponse output in response to the child entering the second zone Z2.18. A toy as set forth in claim 17, wherein the body comprises a baseand movement-providing members attached to the base.
 19. A toy as setforth in claim 18, wherein the movement-providing members compriserollers rotatably attached to the bottom of the base.
 20. A toy as setforth in claim 17, wherein the body comprises an antenna attached to thetop of the base and wherein the proximity sensor is positioned withinthe antenna.
 21. A toy as set forth in claim 17, wherein at least one ofthe response outputs is audio.
 22. A toy as set forth in claim 21,wherein both of the response outputs is audio.
 23. A toy as set forth inclaim 17, wherein the response outputs are audio, visual, movement, orcombinations thereof.
 24. A toy as set forth in claim 17 wherein thefirst zone Z1 has a range which is greater than three inches and lessthan six inches away from the body and wherein the second zone Z2 ispositioned between the body and the first zone Z1.